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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24513715">I love him</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fedallife/pseuds/Fedallife'>Fedallife</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>9-1-1: Lone Star (TV 2020)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Established Carlos Reyes/TK Strand, Owen Strand is a Good Dad</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 07:33:52</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,637</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24513715</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fedallife/pseuds/Fedallife</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>When Carlos is having a bad day, everyone hurts for him. Love is the only cure.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Carlos Reyes/TK Strand</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>102</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>I love him</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hello Fandom.<br/>I have a confession to make. This is my first fanfiction EVER. I never thought I would find the courage to write and post something , but this fandom is blessed with so many unbelievable writers , that I 've felt inspired to write .<br/>English isn't my language ( I've learned it on my own ) and I don't have a Beta , so all mistakes are mine. If anyone wants to point them out , feel free ! Thanks.<br/>This idea wouldn't leave me alone , and I had to write it down. It sounded better in my head tho. Oops ?<br/>I own nothing , just borrowing amazing characters from an amazing show. Don't sue me.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Owen was sitting on a chair at the cunter top in his kitchen , a mug of coffee in front of him and a newspaper in his hands. He had woken up after a very much needed , very resting night of sleep in his own bed after almost an entire week of hard and complicated shifts at work, only to find a very smiley and energetic TK already up, flipping pancakes like a pro while humming to some tune in his head.<br/>
His son had turned to him with a cheery  " Morning Dad ! " and gestured to the pot of deliciously smelling hot coffee.  He looked happy. Positively glowing .  Not a rare occurrence , these days, Owen was well aware . In the seven months since they relocated to Austin , Owen knew TK was finally at ease with their new life , and that he was enjoying a very good thing with Officer Reyes.<br/>
Owen loved the guy too, if he was honest with himself . Carlos was a good person, a serious and respected cop , and Owen loved especially how he treated TK, and how happy TK was around him. Gone were the sad , troubled looks he would often find on his kid's face.<br/>
Owen had never been shy in his relationship with his son, so of course he had nagged him about his new boyfriend and what the deal was between the two of them , months earlier. TK had just giggled, giggled at him, for God's sake , and swore that he was ok, more than that, actually, because Carlos was ' so caring, so kind and respectful and oh , so smart  ' that he had helped TK to put all the things that had happened with Alex in a different prospective , and so no, it was not too soon to be in a new relationship and nothing he was doing with Carlos felt forced or uneasy because, in his own words , ' what I thought to know about love, before, wasn't true '.<br/>
Owen stopped his musings and decided to tease his son  a bit, since he had already seen a duffel bag by the front door and they were facing two days off. He knew he was going to see very little of TK for the next 48 hours. " Soooo.....since you look so crisp this morning , I have a legitimate question.  Who are you and what have you done to my  ' I hate mornings , let me sleep ' son ? "<br/>
TK groaned , still smiling. " Come on Dad, I just felt like making you breakfast , for a change. It's not a big deal "<br/>
Owen wasn't impressed. " And ? What else ? "<br/>
TK was blushing . " Well...also...Carlos is getting off work right now and I thought we could have breakfast here, the three of us. And then, we're going over to his place , we both have the next two days off and we made plans to spend them together "<br/>
Owen smiled " Well, that's nice " . TK looked at him again and asked " You don't mind , do you ? "<br/>
" Nah, why would I mind ? I like Carlos a lot. As long as you're safe...."<br/>
" Dad ! Come on ! And please don't be weird when he'll be here , you know he's still a bit conscious around you, don't scare him off with your dad's humour !"<br/>
" Don't worry your pretty little head, I won't . Besides , I don't mind having the house free tonight, i have a date. With Zoe " Owen concluded, wagging his eyebrows. TK chuckled , shaking his head " You really are a ..."  he was interrupted by his phone ringing . He took it from the counter and Owen saw him smile at Carlos' name popping on the screen .<br/>
" Hey baby, where are you ? Breakfast is ready and .....yeah.....what ? "<br/>
Owen saw him lose his smile . TK listened to Carlos for another minute and then, with an apologetic look at his dad , went outside to keep talking to his boyfriend . Owen didn't mean to eavesdrop , but TK was pacing back and forth and he caught bits of conversation while his son ran a frustrated hand through his hair. " No...of course I know ....yes, but....I can't ...Carlos ...please..."<br/>
After five long minutes , TK came back inside after ending  the call, a sour mood coming off his head in such big waves that he was literally shutting down the sunlight.<br/>
So much for a sunny happy morning.<br/>
Owen cleared his throat , and TK startled , like he had totally forgotten his dad was even there. He looked so sad and lost.<br/>
" Ehy, what happened ? Is carlos ok ? " he asked.<br/>
TK sighed . " No, apparently. He's not coming . He had a rough night and he just wants to go home to sleep and forget. "<br/>
" What happened ? "<br/>
TK started pacing again, in front of his dad. " Do you know Carlos isn't on board with the way Michelle is dealing with Iris ? He doesn't think the way to go is letting her stay in that camp, in her tent, without a proper medical treatment for her mental hillness "<br/>
Owen hummed. " Yeah, I actually witnessed them having a pretty intense exchange the other day . I can't honestly say I'm with Michelle, on this. I  think Carlos was right "<br/>
TK sighs again. " Yeah . Turns out, Carlos went to see Iris during his break, yesterday night . It wasn't the first time , but maybe Iris was already upset about something she was hearing , and when Carlos asked her to go to a diner with him for coffee and pie , she freaked out. Made a big scene. Carlos couldn't manage to calm her down, she was trying to run away so he had to wake Michelle up , asking her for help. Together, they settled her down, but Michelle wasn't happy, obviously, and had some harsh words for Carlos ."<br/>
" Oh God, poor Carlos. I'm so sorry . I'm sure he meant well " Owen said .<br/>
" Yeah " TK said , " Certainly Michelle and Carlos will make peace in no time , but for now Carlos is going home , all alone , to beat himself up and wallow in misery . I can't stand the thought of him hurting . I hate it. "<br/>
Owen made a soft noise of agreement , and watched the sadness in his son's face. " You really love him , don't you ? " He asked .<br/>
" What ? " TK gasped and turned around  to look at him .<br/>
" You heard me. Are you in love with Carlos ? "<br/>
TK took a seat in front of his dad , shaking his head.  " Dad...I...."<br/>
Owen lifted his eyebrows , nodding at his son to continue. TK sighed again. " Let's be real , dad. I'm head over heels for him. I adore him . I've known this for a long time now . Carlos is the nicest person I've ever met. And he wears his heart on his sleeve , he's always been so patient with me , and he has never been afraid to show me how much he cares about me. After all I've been through , I started to think I didn't deserve a good life , love and happiness , as much as anyone else . "<br/>
It was Owen's turn to gasp " TK , what ...." " Dad please, let me finish . Carlos has been the one to make me see how wrong I was. So, yes, I love him. So much, it hurts. "<br/>
Owen smiled widely to his son's confession  , feeeling his eyes wet with unshed happy tears . But then.... " Wait a minute. If the things are like that between you two, why in the world did he go home alone instead of coming here to you ? " At TK guilty look , Owen felt like he couldn't breathe. " Oh my God ! TK ! Please tell me you told him that you love him ? " But TK was already shaking his head. " Dad , please , it's not that easy ".<br/>
Owen swore softly under his breath. " What are you talking about ? Telling someone you care about them is the easiest thing in the world ! And the right thing to do ."<br/>
" Dad , please, I know that , ok ? " He put his face in his hands . Owen wasn't stopping , though. " Did he say he loves you ? "<br/>
Tk looked at his father again, his eyes bigger than ever. " He does...he says he loves me everytime I stay over at his place, late in the night , when he thinks I'm deeply asleep. "<br/>
Owen felt like dying when he saw the tears falling down on TK's face. " But...what...why ? I don't understand "<br/>
" Because .." TK answered , looking miserable " Because he knows how badly Alex hurt me and he thinks I'm not ready to hear the words yet. "<br/>
At this point , Owen was ready to burst now. Why young people were so scared of living , these days ? He took a deep breathe and looked at  his son right in the eyes " TK, I'm just gonna ask this once . Why the fuck are you still here , instead of rushing to your boy to tell him you love him, no, adore him , and that you want to share everything with him, the good and the bad ? Are you out of your mind ? Doesn't Carlos deserve to know  how much he is loved ?????? "<br/>
TK was taken aback by his father's outburst . Owen didn't lose eye contact with him and it took about three seconds for his son to be breathing again. But what he saw happening , then ,  in TK's beautiful green eyes , was well worth the heart attack he feared was coming.<br/>
"Holy shit " TK jumped out of his seat , color finally back on his face " Holy shit dad ! You're so right ! How could I....Carlos deserves to know ! He needs to know ! He needs me !  "<br/>
TK turned around , shoulders set and with  a new determination in his  eyes , he purposefully strode out of the kitchen , grabbing his duffel bag and leaving the house shouting a " Bye dad , thank you ! " before shutting the door behind him.<br/>
Owen smiled happily to himself and looked out in the garden. The sun was back, now. To stay.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I've got the same name on Tumblr</p></blockquote></div></div>
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